John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As a final point, I wish to put something on record. I have done so numerous times but do so again as Deputy Mairéad Farrell has raised it.

The decision to increase the salary of a particular individual or position by €81,000 was a disgraceful decision taken quietly in some back room in Government Buildings. There was the addition of €3,000 and then the increase yesterday bringing it to €298,000. I disagree with the Minister in respect of the gifting. He stated it is a personal matter. Actually, this particular position is so outside the norm in terms of salary that it should be ring-fenced and treated separately. If a person got an increase of €81,000 in 2021-22, I cannot see the logic of him getting two further increases in 2022. Surely because the person got an increase of €81,000, any other increases that were agreed for those at that level within the Civil Service who are paid less should be withheld from that position because of the special arrangements that were made. As I stated, there was no memo of the Cabinet. I do not know from where it originated because, in spite of the 288-page report, the Minister was probably the most forthcoming of all Ministers in terms of the explanation. The Taoiseach, however, was not. Mr. Watt was not. He sent us a copy of the press release. His behaviour since then has been utterly disgraceful.

I question the level of payment he is now receiving. I believe it should be ring-fenced and the two increases we are discussing should not be added on to that increase of €81,000. The Minister stated the gifting is a personal matter. I believe it is but, in this case, the gifting was done publicly by press release. We do not know when it started or when it ended. It seems to have been down to one person to make this decision while blatantly ignoring the Committee of Public Accounts and the finance committee, thereby giving licence to anybody else to just not turn up to a committee and not be held to account by us. The manner in which the increase and the appointment happened leaves a lot to be desired. It did a disservice to civil servants and the public service.

The Minister said there would be no knock-on effects. I am not saying this is a knock-on effect, but I want to compare it. I refer to report No. 42 of the review body on higher remuneration in the public service, on which the Minister gave us a comprehensive response, in respect of senior managers within the HSE, many of them retired. They now are being put through another process to get what they have already been approved for by the Labour Court, yet for one man in one position it is a completely different matter. The public are absolutely outraged, and rightly so. These special arrangements have to stop. If this was a special arrangement - obviously, it was - there should be no further increases. The Minister should be suggesting to the individual who holds this position that it is special and separate, over and above what is there already, and, therefore, the increase should be treated differently. That is what I am suggesting. There has to be fair play here. I said the public are angry. Members of the Dáil were furious about the way this happened - not just the appointment and the increase, but the total disregard for parliamentary procedure by elected representatives and senior officials. I believe I have to make those comments because I have said things publicly and I wish to place it again on record as Deputy Farrell has raised the matter, and rightly so. I have made my views known. If the Minister wishes to comment, that is fair enough. If not, we can move on.